{"id":34161,"date":"2019-03-05T11:50:45","date_gmt":"2019-03-05T11:50:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/?p=34161"},"modified":"2019-03-05T11:50:45","modified_gmt":"2019-03-05T11:50:45","slug":"being-a-penpal-helped-prisoner-on-life-sentence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2019\/03\/05\/being-a-penpal-helped-prisoner-on-life-sentence\/","title":{"rendered":"Being his penpal helped prisoner on life sentence for murder"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cI HAVE always been fascinated by prisons and institutions,\u201d says Claire Melville, a full-time mother of two<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">who corresponded for eight years with a convict<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0and now campaigns for prison reform.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cAbout 20 years ago now, I received a letter from an inmate at HMP Wakefield looking for a penpal.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cI was a student at Cardiff University at the time. What an insight it gave me into high security prisons, lifers and families of lifers,\u201d\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">Claire<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0said on February 24, marking the two decades since she began her correspondence with a prisoner.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<figure id=\"attachment_34164\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34164\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-34164 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/claire-melville.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/claire-melville.jpg 400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/claire-melville-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/claire-melville-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/claire-melville-293x293.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/claire-melville-390x390.jpg 390w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-34164\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-34164 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/claire-melville.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/claire-melville.jpg 400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/claire-melville-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/claire-melville-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/claire-melville-293x293.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/claire-melville-390x390.jpg 390w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/noscript> Claire Melville, a full time mother of two, started a pen pal correspondence with a prisoner 20 years ago<\/figcaption><\/figure><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">At one point during her teenage years, Claire, who now lives in Llanelli, had more than 50 pen friends.<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cI used to place adverts in weekly magazines such as Smash Hits, back in late 80s and early 90s, that&#8217;s how you&#8217;d advertise for penpals.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cPenpals\u00a0would pass your details onto their penpals\u00a0which would help you gain more.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cSomehow this chain passed on so that eventually prisoners wrote to me.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\nClaire had started a sociology degree at Cardiff University in 1996, inspired by her interest in prisons, and it was while she was studying that Claire first heard from the\u00a0<span data-contrast=\"none\">man who was to become her long-term penpal.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cIn late February 1999, a letter arrived from HMP Wakefield from an inmate looking for a pen friend.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">HMP Wakefield is a category A men\u2019s prison in Wakefield, Yorkshire. The largest high-security prison in western Europe, it has held\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">a number of<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0high-profile murderers.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">Claire<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0said she would not disclose details about her pen friend for the sake of his privacy and that of his victim\u2019s family.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">The first letter was a short introduction \u201cexplaining he had a long sentence and had seen my details in a magazine, so he had decided to write.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cI wrote back and at first it was approximately once a week we\u2019d write<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">,\u201d Claire explained.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cWe got along well and shared similar interests, especially in 80s music.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cWe talked about normal, everyday things like politics, what was on the TV last night, what was in the news, what we&#8217;d had to eat.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">Exactly same as if you were chatting to your friend in a coffee shop, or on W<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">hatsApp<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0these days.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">Despite their regular correspondence,\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">Claire<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0said: \u201cI never asked him about his crime.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">Obviously I did wonder, but I let him tell me in his own time. He was a human being first and a prisoner second.\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">As time went on,\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">Claire<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0described how they began to send each other audio tapes with their\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">favourite<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0music included and then they began to talk over the phone around once a week.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cThe day arrived when he told me on audio tape about his offence.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cIt made for a difficult listen, but I was determined to be non-judgmental,\u201d said Claire, displaying her enormous capacity for acceptance.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">Claire<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u2019s pen friend told her that he had committed murder and serving a minimum of 14 years, of which he had already served four.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">After five months of regular correspondence,\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">Claire<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0travelled from Cardiff to visit her pen friend in HMP Wakefield.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cIt was a daunting experience, especially as it was a category A maximum security prison.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cI didn\u2019t know what to expect but I met some really lovely people while in the queue to get into the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">vistors&#8217;<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">centre<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cThese were families of prisoners, some of whom I still keep in touch with now. We became good friends and I\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">realised<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0they went through the sentence along with their loved ones.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cThey endure a lot with very little support.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">Claire<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0visited her penpal several times between 1999 to 2007 in HMP\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">Wakefield<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">, HMP Albany and HMP Shepton Mallet, category B and category C prisons, respectively, although HMP Shepton Mallet since closed in 2013.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<figure id=\"attachment_34165\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34165\" style=\"width: 768px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-34165 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/hmp-shepton-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/hmp-shepton-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/hmp-shepton-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/hmp-shepton-770x1027.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/hmp-shepton-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/hmp-shepton-500x667.jpg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/hmp-shepton-293x391.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/hmp-shepton-1400x1867.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/hmp-shepton.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-34165\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-34165 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/hmp-shepton-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/hmp-shepton-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/hmp-shepton-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/hmp-shepton-770x1027.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/hmp-shepton-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/hmp-shepton-500x667.jpg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/hmp-shepton-293x391.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/hmp-shepton-1400x1867.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/hmp-shepton.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/noscript> HMP Shepton Mallet, a prison where Claire visted her pen friend<\/figcaption><\/figure><br \/>\n<figure id=\"attachment_34166\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34166\" style=\"width: 768px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-34166 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/inside-of-shepton-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/inside-of-shepton-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/inside-of-shepton-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/inside-of-shepton-770x1027.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/inside-of-shepton-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/inside-of-shepton-500x667.jpg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/inside-of-shepton-293x391.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/inside-of-shepton-1400x1867.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/inside-of-shepton.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-34166\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-34166 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/inside-of-shepton-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/inside-of-shepton-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/inside-of-shepton-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/inside-of-shepton-770x1027.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/inside-of-shepton-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/inside-of-shepton-500x667.jpg 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/inside-of-shepton-293x391.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/inside-of-shepton-1400x1867.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/inside-of-shepton.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/noscript> The inside of HMP Shepton Mallet, which closed in 2013<\/figcaption><\/figure><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">In 1992,\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">Claire<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0said she joked with a boyfriend that her fascination with prisons meant that \u201cone day I\u2019ll get to see some of the most notorious serial killers in the country\u201d.<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">On her visits to her pen friend, Claire said: \u201cI saw many notorious serial killers, I sat drinking tea and chatting in the same room as them, just as I had joked about in 1992<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201d<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">When Claire started her family, she lost touch with her prisoner penpal<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">Then, in 2010, Claire heard from him again.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cHe got in touch to say he was out on life licence.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">Life licence is a form of parole granted to a prisoner who is released after serving the minimum term of a life sentence, meaning they will remain on parole for the rest of their life.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cWe kept in touch less frequently after that, but enough to know that he got married, passed his driving test, got a steady job and then bought his own house.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">Claire thinks their correspondence helped her penpal.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cI do believe that through our friendship and my support and being non-<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">judgmental<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">, that it got him through most of his sentence more positively.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">Claire believes that supporting prisoners is important and said: \u201c<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">Most inmates will become our\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">neighbours<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0and members of our communities when they get released.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cVery few will remain in prison for the rest of their lives.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">Following her friendship with her penpal, Claire joined The Howard League three years ago, a UK penal reform charity formed in 1886.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">The Howard League\u2019s website says they work for less crime, safer communities and fewer people in prison.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<figure id=\"attachment_34169\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34169\" style=\"width: 672px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-34169 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/new-HOWARD.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"672\" height=\"336\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/new-HOWARD.png 672w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/new-HOWARD-300x150.png 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/new-HOWARD-500x250.png 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/new-HOWARD-585x293.png 585w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/new-HOWARD-293x147.png 293w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-34169\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-34169 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/new-HOWARD.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"672\" height=\"336\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/new-HOWARD.png 672w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/new-HOWARD-300x150.png 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/new-HOWARD-500x250.png 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/new-HOWARD-585x293.png 585w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/03\/new-HOWARD-293x147.png 293w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/noscript> Prison population rise over time from The Howard League. Male prison population shown in green, female prison population shown in yellow.<\/figcaption><\/figure><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">In August 2017, Claire helped to\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">organise<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0and deliver a conference to Welsh Assembly Members and MPs against a proposed super prison on\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">Baglan<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0Moor, near Port Talbot.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">The prison plans have since been scrapped.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">Claire said: \u201cI can assure you prisons are not like holiday camps as some people perceive.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">They are places of misery, despair, death and violence.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cPrisoners are human beings who have made mistakes, loss of freedom is the punishment.\u00a0The time they spend there should be for rehabilitation, education and preparing themselves for re-entry into society.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cI HAVE always been fascinated by prisons and institutions,\u201d says Claire Melville, a full-time mother of two\u00a0who corresponded for eight years with a convict\u00a0and now campaigns for prison reform.\u00a0 \u201cAbout 20 years ago now, I received a letter from an inmate at HMP Wakefield looking for a penpal.\u00a0 \u201cI was a student at Cardiff University at the time. What an insight it gave me into high security prisons, lifers and families of lifers,\u201d\u00a0Claire\u00a0said on February 24, marking the two decades [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":145,"featured_media":34170,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[113],"tags":[265,6475,6476,5253,6477,6478,6479,6480,4179,6481,6482,6483],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-34161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorised","tag-cardiff-university","tag-claire-melville","tag-hmp-wakefield","tag-llanelli","tag-murderer","tag-pen-friend","tag-pen-pal","tag-penpal","tag-prison","tag-prison-reform","tag-prisoner","tag-the-howard-league"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Being his penpal helped prisoner on life sentence for murder - The Cardiffian<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2019\/03\/05\/being-a-penpal-helped-prisoner-on-life-sentence\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Being his penpal helped prisoner on life sentence for murder - The Cardiffian\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cI HAVE always been fascinated by prisons and institutions,\u201d says Claire Melville, a full-time mother of two\u00a0who corresponded for eight years with a convict\u00a0and now campaigns for prison reform.\u00a0 \u201cAbout 20 years ago now, I received a letter from an inmate at HMP Wakefield looking for a penpal.\u00a0 \u201cI was a student at Cardiff University at the time. 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